ABOUT SHANNON FRANKLIN
Shannon Franklin's interests in mythology and iconography have led her to delve into classical stories introduced to her as a child, focusing heavily on those from Ancient Greece and Rome. In her show, Mouths Not Lips, her interest in feminist and revisionist theory has pushed her to review and reinterpret these stories, drawing from modern texts that have done the same. Through fragmentation and the presence of the human figure, Franklin allows the viewer to inhabit these stories and view them anew.
Symbols play heavily into her work and tend to depict narratives with which the reader may connect more deeply. Franklin’s interest in the way certain symbols permeate a number of cultures allows many of her works to have multiple meanings for different viewers. The majority of these stories revolve around women who lack agency in their own life and are often represented as objects.
In the process of creating, Franklin sees the core of the story revealed as layers of plaster, clay, or charcoal are stripped away. By paring down these storylines to distinct symbols, Franklin not only addresses the objectification of women but also, through use of materials, reminds the viewer that these stories are raw and unrefined and should not be taken so directly.
Full of art historical references and inspiration from artists like Janine Antoni, Kiki Smith, Felix González-Torres, Lorna Simpson, and Ann Hamilton, Franklin creates an interactive experience with her pieces that requires the viewer to be aware of how they navigate space and to reconsider their preconceived notions.
ARTIST BIO
Shannon Franklin received her degree in studio art from Mount Mary University. Franklin has been a part of group exhibitions including two years of SWAN Day, a global initiative also known as Support Women Artists Now, at Redline Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Franklin's passion for academia has led her to study abroad on four separate occasions, during which she participated in a student group exhibition at Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy. Franklin currently lives and works in her hometown of New Berlin, Wisconsin.
